The Wrecker is the second novel in a new Western series by “one of the greatest adventure novelists of our time” (imdb). It promises to become perhaps the most popular Clive Cussler series yet. Because, let’s face it, stories about the Wild West never lose their appeal to American (as well as International) audiences.
As with the first novel in the series, The Chase, the hero of The Wrecker is a detective named Isaac Bell who combines the sleuthing brilliance of Sherlock Holmes with the physical prowess and fearlessness of James Bond.
Conveniently, Isaac Bell is also independently wealthy, heir to a prominent Boston banking family. After disappointing his father by not following in his footsteps, Bell has pursued his detective work with a fervor that spells obsessive passion more than a way to make a living.
Isaac Bell gets hired by the Southern Pacific Railroad Company to find and stop a saboteur known as “The Wrecker,” who has targeted Southern Pacific construction sites throughout the West. If the sabotage continues in the midst of pressing deadlines to finish work on a major new track, it could cost Southern Pacific its good standing with its lenders, and rapidly lead to bankruptcy.
Unbeknownst to all until the very end of the book, The Wrecker is a regular member of the inner circles of Southern Pacific Railroad president Osgood Hennessy, even courting the railroad baron’s “unspeakably beautiful” daughter Lillian. He’s a formidable adversary, perhaps as brilliant as Isaac Bell himself.
The goal of the Wrecker is to gain control of the entire United States railroad system, at a time in history when railroad barons such as Harriman and Vanderbilt were the wealthiest men in America, beginning with the Southern Pacific Railroad.
As a story taking place in the early 1900’s, this book also offers a perfect opportunity for avid car enthusiast Clive Cussler to present some classic automobiles from the era when the experimental variety of styles was the greatest because few standards had yet been established.
The Wrecker features the 1907 Model 35 Thomas Flyer, winner of the 1908 New York to Paris race, as well as a Packard Grey Wolf, a Bugatti Type 41 Royale, and Isaac Bell’s own Locomobile.
Best-selling author Clive Cussler nurtures a personal passion for the sea, and has previously created three successful action novel series that all revolve in and around water. However, residing in Colorado, just about as far from the sea as you can get, Cussler also appears to love the mountains and the rugged terrain of the American West.
This “second” love of Clive Cussler shines through in his new Isaac Bell series in a way that will likely reinvigorate many old Wild West enthusiasts as well as give birth to a whole new generation of Western lovers. The book is a highly recommended read.
Britt Hellman resides in North Carolina with her husband and three sons, where she works as a copywriter. She writes book review as a hobby. Visit her site to order The Wrecker by Clive Cussler, or the most recent Dirk Pitt novel, Arctic Drift, Clive Cussler.